Children's Cancer Reaches $2 Million Fundraising Goal in 40th Anniversary Dream Further Campaign to fund Childhood Cancer Survivorship Research and Care
Donors support groundbreaking survivorship research and care at M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital.
MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In early 2021 Children's Cancer Research Fund launched the Dream Further Campaign to fund much-needed research and care coordination for survivors of childhood cancer. In November, with the help of a passionate community of supporters, the Dream Further campaign reached its ambitious $2 million goal. These funds will accelerate groundbreaking survivorship research and care coordination at the M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital to ensure kids not only survive cancer today, but they also thrive and enjoy long, healthy lives.
In 2021, contributions to the Dream Further Campaign will support two important goals of the hospital's survivorship program:
- Ongoing Research and Education - The goal of survivorship research is to evaluate the best interventions that will improve the health and well-being of all childhood cancer survivors, helping establish new standards of care around the world. In addition, better understanding of survivorship issues will help doctors better care for patients currently in treatment for cancer.
- Coordination of Care – A dedicated care team can help survivors keep track of their complicated medical histories, check progress and follow up with them about upcoming appointments, necessary tests and opportunities to participate in survivorship research studies.
The Dream Further campaign honors CCRF's 40-year history – the organization began with a request by 13-year-old Katie Hageboeck, who asked that the money she'd saved for a bicycle be donated to cancer research. Katie passed away from leukemia in 1979.
Over the past 40 years, the community that created Children's Cancer Research Fund has played a significant role in bringing the five-year survival rate for childhood cancers from less than 60% to over 80%. More children are surviving cancer than ever before. But their cancer journey doesn't end with the last chemotherapy treatment.
"My time with cancer didn't end when I received the 'all clear' from my doctors. I am still experiencing side effects of the treatments I received and am reminded of my diagnosis with cancer every day. We are supporting the Dream Further campaign because we believe that research can help kids to not have the same effects from cancer that I do." – Sara Maas, Dream Further donor and cancer survivor
- There are 420,000 survivors of childhood cancer alive in the U.S. today.
- More than 95% of these survivors will have a significant health issue related to their cancer or treatment by the time they are 45 years old.
- Only one in five survivors receive the customized care and guidance they need.
"CCRF donors provide the funding that allows us to create ways to never let a survivor slip through the cracks or get lost in the health care system. Together, we can make sure that children with cancer live their lives to the fullest and don't just survive, they thrive." - Dr. Karim Sadak, Director of the Cancer Survivorship Program at M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital.
The Dream Further campaign reached $2 million thanks to dedicated community partners, including the Hansen Family Foundation, Custom One Homes, Best Buy, Tradition Capital Bank, Warrior Mfg., LLC, and more. Visit Dream.ChildrensCancer.org/partners for our full list of community partners.
About Children's Cancer Research Fund
Children's Cancer Research Fund invests in groundbreaking research that is leading to better treatments and cures for children with cancer. Since 1981, CCRF donors have funded research that has revolutionized the way childhood cancer is treated worldwide. Visit ChildrensCancer.org or call 888-422-7348 to learn more.
About M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital
M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital provides more than 55 pediatric programs and specialties from surgery, imaging and neonatal and pediatric intensive care to cardiac and oncology services and blood and marrow and organ transplantation. The clinical staff apply innovative approaches to creating medical breakthroughs based their work with patients and on findings through research at the University of Minnesota. This has led to several firsts, including the first successful pediatric blood marrow transplant, infant heart transplant in Minnesota and cochlear ear implant surgery for a child. Visit mhealth.org/childrens to learn more.
SOURCE Children's Cancer Research Fund
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